A MAN who desperately tried to save drowning Worcester schoolgirl Lelaina Hall after she become trapped in mudflats on a beach told an inquest that he saw no signs warning of the dangers.

Laurence Boyle struggled against thigh-high mud to rescue five-year-old Lelaina, who had run out more than a mile towards the sea at Berrow beach near Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, on June 23 this year.

She became trapped in deep mud at the water's edge and drowned as the tide came in.

An inquest in Taunton yesterday heard how Lelaina had gone to the beach with her mother Caroline, her mother's partner Mr Boyle and his two young children. They were all on holiday at a nearby caravan park.

Mr Boyle said that he and Lelaina's mother became concerned as she and his own seven-year-old daughter wandered further and further out towards the sea and began to disappear.

His daughter managed to walk back, but Lelaina continued out and Mr Boyle started to chase after her as Mrs Hall stood helpless at the top of the beach.

Mr Boyle struggled through the mud, which almost reached his waist, and never managed to get to more than within 200 yards of the five-year-old.

"My footing was becoming increasingly difficult and I was sticking in the mud," he said.

"I was getting to the stage where every step was becoming an effort."

Mr Boyle said that when he eventually reached the water's edge he could no longer either move himself or see Lelaina.

Lelaina's mother, Caroline, alerted the beach wardens, who in turn called the coastguard at Burnham.

Mrs Hall, of Barbourne, Worcester, said she watched in horror as her daughter disappeared from view.

"To me it looked like she had fallen over and I knew in my gut from that moment on that I had lost my little girl," she said.

When the coastguard's mud rescue team arrived it realised it would be unable to reach Lelaina.

It immediately called for a rescue helicopter from RAF Chivenor.

When the helicopter reached the beach 20 minutes later, the crew spent half an hour looking for Lelaina in the sea, before deciding to rescue Mr Boyle.

Shortly afterwards it spotted the five-year-old's body, face down in the water nearby, winched her into the helicopter and attempted to resuscitate her. She died later at Weston General Hospital.

Mr Boyle, of Kidderminster, said he had not seen any warning signs on the beach or at the holiday park where they were staying.

Det Sgt Jerry Wallis, of Avon and Somerset Police, said that when he examined Berrow beach he only found signs warning motorists of the perils of driving on to the sand.

Joanna Lee, of Stourbridge, told the inquest she was also holidaying with her children. She said one of her daughters had become stuck in the mud, but her brother-in-law had managed to pull her free in time.

"I did not even realise that it was sinking sand," she said. She added that she had also not seen any warning signs or leaflets on the beach.

But John Blake, corporate director of Sedgemoor District Council, said there were warning signs on Berrow beach and safety leaflets available prior to Lelaina's death.

He said there were large signs reading: "Beware of soft sand. Vehicles are driven on to the beach at the owner's risk" at either end of the access road on to the beach and a safety information board by the public toilets.

Mr Blake also said the council had distributed beach safety leaflets.

He said these had been placed at camp sites and information points, but added that the council was now taking a more "proactive" attitude toward circulating the leaflets.

The council had put up more signs since Lelaina's death to warn of the dangers of soft sand.

The inquest jury visited Berrow beach and the hearing was due to continue today.